APT Travel Group Hosts First North American River Cruise FAM
by Dori Saltzman
APT Solara. Photo: APT Travel Group
Australia-based APT Travel Group recently completed its first-ever North American river cruise FAM, hosting six travel advisors from across the U.S. and Canada on APT Solara on the Rhine River.
Hosted by Tim Harrison, head of sales North America for APT Travel Group, the journey provided advisors with an immersive introduction to APT’s luxury river cruising experience, showcasing the ship’s design, dining, service, and curated shore experiences.
A particular highlight was the opportunity to experience APT Solara’s six onboard dining venues, offering everything from casual dining to intimate culinary experiences. Advisors also discovered one of the ship’s most innovative features, the Grüner Bar, a world-first innovation in river cruising. Its unique hydraulic design allows the bar to rise from the ship’s interior to the Sun Deck when docked, providing guests with uninterrupted panoramic views of their surroundings while dining or enjoying a drink.
Beyond the dining, advisors enjoyed the ship’s welcoming atmosphere and onboard entertainment, with the group even taking home the top prize during the ship’s music trivia night.
“There’s simply no substitute for experiencing a product firsthand, particularly when introducing a luxury river cruise brand to a growing North American audience,” said Harrison.
“The advisors were able to experience everything that makes APT Solara so special, from the incredible dining and beautiful destinations to the outstanding service delivered by our onboard crew,” he added. “One of the biggest takeaways was just how relaxed and welcoming the experience is. It’s luxury without being overly formal, and that’s something that really resonates with advisors once they’ve experienced it themselves.”
The FAM also provided advisors with insights into APT’s expanding European river cruise fleet, including sister ship APT Ostara and the upcoming APT Alara, scheduled to debut in May 2028.
“As we continue to expand our presence in North America, investing in opportunities like this is an important part of building advisor confidence, strengthening relationships, and ultimately helping more travelers discover APT,” Harrison said.
With APT Travel Group’s expanded global river cruise portfolio now available to the North American trade, the company is continuing to invest in advisor education, strategic partnerships, and firsthand product experiences to support its growth across the U.S. and Canada.
